Letters (Apr 6, 2016)

The family of Deed Bloyd would like to give a special thanks to Ron and Jennifer Pronsolino; Ernie Pardini; Dave and Merilyn Pronsolino; Terri and Steve Rhoades; Alicia Clow; Clint Wyant; Schevilla Wyant; Bobby, Janelle and Reese Mabery; Jed Adams; Jennifer Mendoza, and Larry Mailliard for all of their help with Deed’s celebration of life.

We also would like to thank all those who gave our family the meaningful phone calls, sent flowers and wonderful cards and gave us so much kindness in our time of sorrow. We are all so lucky to live in a community that really pulls together for support.

Sincerely,

The Family of Deed Bloyd

Philo

PUBLIC SAFETY #1 PRIORITY

Letter to the Editor,

On Jan. 2, Dennis Boardman, Fort Bragg native, was found murdered in his home by FBPD. Formerly homeless, he was known to shelter transients, and it seems likely one of them killed him.

On Jan. 7, the body of coast resident Anne Shapiro was discovered within city limits, at the south end of

MacKerricker beach. Her death, ruled 'suspicious', is under investigation. An unidentified person drove her here that day from Willits.

On Nov. 24, 2015, a Tenn transient, Dakota Lee Miles, was arrested for alleged rape of an unconscious, underage homeless female. The rape occurred at Pudding Creek beach, also in Fort Bragg.

On Jan. 26, a local woman was attacked and stabbed multiple times in her home near Fort Bragg by a stranger with 2 large kitchen knives. She was able to fight him off and run to a neighbor's despite her wounds, the assailant in pursuit. Law enforcement soon captured the suspect, Nicholas Merrell, a transient with a Fugitive from Justice warrant from Montana.

Recent sweeps of large homeless encampments in Redway and Eureka are likely to drive more of their transients our way. As law enforcement in Humboldt Co. tighten policies regarding the homeless, we need to follow suit here. EPD Chief Andrew Mills has documented 87% of Eureka's homeless population as criminals, with criminal records and/or outstanding warrants, indicating that EPD runs background checks. Our local law enforcement has stated that a large segment here are “travelers,” the same criminal element.

If local law enforcement, as well as social services providing free meals, clothing, dogs, health services, and shelters, including Emergency Weather Shelters, transitional housing and motel vouchers, will run background checks here, public safety would be bolstered, and hopefully the recent wave of horrendous crimes in Fort Bragg would end. Public safety includes everyone, residents as well as the most vulnerable homeless, the elderly, women and children, plus the tourists we want to attract. If you agree, please contact City Council and FBPD and request routinely run criminal background checks.

Alice and Douglas Chouteau

Fort Bragg

SAVE OUR LANDLINES

Editor,

I actually got a resolution through CSG (current name of the friendly state Grrrange). Aside from the fact that many of us do not have cellular or broadband, we need the redundancy of the fairly error free wired phone lines. The problem is ATT is not servicing their wired lines much hoping to skirt around this. Wired phone lines kept Tokyo and Fukushima communicating. Cellular almost shut down New York during Hurricane Sandy. Call your representatives and just say No to this attempt to disrupt a crucial service. Don't give up your wired phone line either.As an important aside National Grange via its bloodless coup via its self appointed new Charter, (supporting the disgruntled minority that left the very successful growing state organization) has attempted to take over the Marshal Grange, it blackmailed a favored grange couple to take over the Grange; locking out its newly elected President and executive committee (Board). It seems to be National Grange’s MO; ignore democracy, push around members. A coalition of Granges not a part of the new charter are working together to avoid the divide and conquer strategies. Here is the bottom line and it is about that, money. National claims ownership of our property for which it has no precedent. They did it by changing bylaws at the national level without ratifying them in each state. The truth is that our land was donated, local folks built it with local materials and money and each generation has maintained the local hall for its community. It is our hall. We continue to hope that the National Master recognizes her responsibility to the real values of the grange and not to the fiscal attempt to keep a dying entity alive by eating its community's halls. Ironically CSG was doing the opposite, growing the granges freely and engaging many new folks. Why National has taken this approach is mind numbing but I have to say they are great Chronophages.

Greg Krouse (spoken as a member and not a leader)

Master/President of the 1st Solar Grange

Anderson Valley Grange 669

Executive Officer, Mendocino Somona

Co-musician with David Zinc State Grange

WHAT DOES GOING SOLAR COST?

Editor,

The cost of purchasing and installing an on-grid solar energy system for your home varies greatly according to how much electricity you use, whether you want to cover all of your use, or just offset some of your bill, whether you’re on or off grid, and other factors such as how good your sun exposure is, which will impact how much solar you can produce, especially during peak use times.

With all of that in mind, however, you can estimate a solar energy system to range from about $15k to $30k. This is total cost, installed, with a warranty; whatever you spend qualifies for a 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit. With Mendocino Solar Service, your written solar energy proposal will be based on your usage and will show you just how much you will save by going solar—often many thousands of dollars over the life of the system.

Questions? Ready for your complementary solar evaluation? Call 707.937-1701, email admin@mendocinosolar.com. And—if you're already signed up with a Facebook profile—please do visit and "Like" us on Facebook.

Kind regards,

Bruce Erickson & Maggie Watson, CoOwners, Mendocino Solar Service

NO ON SEGWAYS

Editor,

I am opposing the City's plan to permit Segways to operate on city park trails, specifically Noyo Headlands trails. I delivered a letter with my objections to Linda Ruffing and Tom Varga on Wednesday. I urge you to join me in this opposition process. If you are interested in learning more, please contact me off list and I will happily send a copy of the letter I gave them setting out my concerns. This is not anything personal - Lynn Baumgarner was friendly and open about answering my questions. I just feel is a bad idea and a terrible precedent to set. Thank you,

Michele Robb

Fort Bragg

SLUG ALERT!

Dear Editor;

A study published online March 23 in the journal Clinical Psychological Science found that chronic marijuana smokers in New Zealand who use cannabis four or more days a week for many years, are likely to wind up in a lower social and economic class than their parents. The study was headed by Magdalena Cerda, an epidemiologist at UC Davis Health System, as well researchers at Duke University and King's College London. The research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Aging, New Zealand Health Research Council, New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, UK Medical Research Council and the Jacobs Foundation. The data came from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study in New Zealand.

The study tracked persons born in New Zealand in 1971 and 1972 who went on to become heavy marijuana users. By age 38 they experienced downward social mobility and financial problems as compared to their peers who did not regularly or ever smoke marijuana. Cerda said, "They end up in jobs that are lower paid, less prestigious and that require lower skills." Cerda said the study was not directed at influencing public opinion on measures in California and other states that are considering legalizing marijuana for recreational use. However, she said, "It's very important to understand what the long-term economic and social consequences of regular use of marijuana will be." Researchers in comparing both heavy cannabis and alcohol users said both experienced declines in social and economic status: however, marijuana users had more financial difficulties.

In peace and love,

Jim Updegraff

Sacramento

NO REASON TO GIVE UP

Editor,

Gosh, finally when someone grows a set and speaks up at a Fort Bragg City Council meeting he gets shot down with these words from the Mayor “Doug, I’ve listened to you for quite a while and I don’t want to continue with that.” How’s it feel Mr. Hammerstrom, to have something to say and the Council not listen? And that was the first time this happened to you. Hell, there are a lot of people in the community who have been waiting for someone on the Council to listen to them for well over a year and still no one listens. So Mr. Hammerstrom because of all the experience the community has had with not being listened to it’s a little hard to feel sorry for you even though we may agree with some of what you said before being shot down by the Mayor.

A group of us got together because we really want to help you. We are very experienced with a situation just like yours. Speaking out and your words falling on deaf ears shouldn’t keep you from speaking out, if you believe in what you are saying.

Even though you are one of the Council Members who would not listen when a large number of people came to the Council to be heard, we are going to prove that there are no hard feelings. With all the experience we have on the “not listening” issue we decided to share some ideas that may be helpful to you.

After some careful thought, we have come up with a few ideas for you so your voice may be heard by the Council and Staff.

First of all you have to ask others how they feel about you trying to speak up and the Council not listening. When you realize the majority of those you speak will back you up and feel you have been wronged by the Council, get a petition going. That’s right, have those who believe in your cause sign a petition. When you get, let’s say, around 1200 signatures present them to the Council. Surely they will listen knowing so many people believe in what you were saying, right? Wrong…

This is no reason to give up Doug, there is still a chance they might listen if you get a few more signatures. Another 450 should do it, after all that brings the total number of supporters up to 1650, there is no way the Council will turn their back on you now, right? Wrong again…

Maybe if you get people to speak up in support of your issue they will listen. Everyone knows the Council is supposed to listen to the people they represent so surely this will help and you will finally be heard. Right? Wrong again…

Letters written by those who support your issue is a good idea; just make sure you change the dates so none are dated before the issue became public. That doesn’t look good for you. Oh gosh, that may not work either. Seems like Mr. Deitz bases his support on letters written before an issue is public knowledge so just leave the dates alone. It may work in your favor.

Write letters to the editor, so the entire community can see what is happening. They may not get published so you better have a backup plan.

Whatever you do, don’t miss a meeting. Keep speaking up even if one or two audience members decide to call you names. We all know names can’t hurt you and only makes the name callers look silly.